Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, it was already noon.
Shisui lay sprawled across a tree branch, lazily munching on some kind of fruit. He chatted absentmindedly with the boy below.
On the training ground beneath him, Shin was drenched in sweat but still tirelessly throwing shuriken with unwavering determination.
Shisui squinted through the branches at the sun overhead, then sat up.
Just as Shin flung another shuriken, a fruit pit whizzed through the air and knocked it cleanly to the ground.
Breathing heavily, Shin turned and looked up at the man sitting in the tree.
"What are you doing?" he asked between breaths.
"It's noon," Shisui said, pointing toward the blazing sun. "Aren't you tired? Look at your throws your shuriken are barely flying straight."
"...Huff..." With a heavy sigh, Shin dropped to the ground and leaned back on his hands, panting.
Shisui chuckled and leapt down from the tree, landing beside him.
"Come on, get up." He smiled and reached out a hand.
Shin gave a faint smile, took his hand, and stood up with his help but the moment their palms touched, a wave of warmth surged through his body, spreading to every limb.
The sweat clinging to Shin's skin evaporated instantly, leaving him lightly steaming.
"What was that?" Shin looked at Shisui in surprise.
"Pretty cool, right? It's a chakra technique I came up with," Shisui said, beaming. "Want to learn it?"
Shin still felt the lingering warmth on his skin and nodded.
"Well, that depends on your chakra nature. I've got wind and fire. Fire chakra's a bit more intense," Shisui explained. "And it takes a lot of control."
"So what nature do I have?" Shin asked.
"Not sure. We'll figure it out eventually. I do know your father was really skilled with Water Release techniques, so odds are you've got water affinity too."
"My father? You know him?" Shin blinked, taken aback.
"I know of him. He doesn't know me," Shisui scratched his chin. "I'm from the younger generation, after all."
Seeing Shin about to press further, he cut in ahead of the questions. "There's not much point asking me about him. I didn't have much contact with your father. By the time I made jōnin, he was already stepping away from the frontlines."
"...I see." Shin pursed his lips, falling silent.
"You're still young. You'll understand more in time." Shisui ruffled his hair with a warm smile. "Alright, let's get you that lunch I owe you."
"Don't touch my hair." Shin batted his hand away.
"Ahaha..."
Konoha Market District
"What do you want to eat?"
Shisui walked leisurely behind Shin, hands folded behind his head.
"What do you like to eat?" Shin asked, not turning back as he scanned the shops lining the street.
"Hey, I'm the one treating you! Why are you asking about me?" Shisui laughed.
"I'm fine with anything. Just go with whatever you like," Shin replied casually.
"You sure? That's awfully generous of you," Shisui said with a chuckle. "Let me think..."
He tapped his chin dramatically, pretending to ponder.
"There's a dango shop just around that corner. Let's go there."
"Dango? That counts as lunch?" Shin turned to look at him, visibly skeptical.
"Why wouldn't it?" Shisui answered with confidence. "Didn't you say you'd eat whatever I chose?"
"Isn't it too sweet though?" Shin hesitated, clearly struggling to accept the idea of dango as a full meal.
"You don't know? The Uchiha clan loves sweets," Shisui said with a grin.
"Really?" Shin gave him a dubious look. "Because I remember Sasuke saying he hated sweets in his school introduction."
"He did?" Shisui blinked, then burst into laughter as if recalling something hilarious.
Shin: "???"
"Ahem. Whatever. Dango it is!" Shisui said, ignoring Shin's confusion as he grabbed the boy's arm and dragged him toward the dango shop.
"Hey slow down! I can walk by myself!"
The two of them entered the shop.
"Boss! Twenty sticks of red bean dango, please!" Shisui called out.
He turned to Shin. "And you? Got a favorite flavor?"
"Do you have... anything lighter? Or maybe something salty?" Shin asked after a moment's thought.
"You don't like sweets?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.
"It's not that I dislike them, but I don't eat this much," Shin said with a sigh.
"Got it."
"Boss, make that forty sticks of red bean dango!" Shisui shouted again.
Shin: "..."
"Hey, what are you doing?! I just said "
"Try it, you'll like it. Kids should eat more sweet stuff anyway," Shisui cut him off with a bright smile and led him to a table.
Soon, four trays piled with syrup-glazed dango were brought out.
Shin looked at the mountain of dango and felt his appetite disappear.
"Itadakimasu," Shisui said, putting his hands together before grabbing a stick and diving in.
"What's wrong?" he asked when he noticed Shin wasn't touching his food. "Don't like it?"
"It's not that... it's just... too much," Shin said, twitching at the corners of his mouth.
"This isn't much. Look over there," Shisui said, voice muffled, gesturing with his chin.
Shin turned to look and saw a short-haired young woman at a nearby table, her table completely buried in dango plus a pile of empty plates.
"Wow... there really are more weirdos like you," Shin muttered, massaging his forehead.
Shisui just laughed, his mouth still full and sticky with syrup.
"Why do you like sweets so much anyway?" Shin asked.
"Would you rather I liked bitter things?" Shisui shot back with a confused expression.
Shin froze, unsure how to answer.
Shisui couldn't help but laugh again.
"You're still too young to get it. Sometimes, being able to enjoy something sweet... it's a kind of happiness."
Shin fell silent.
He'd heard about Shisui's past. The name "Shunshin Shisui" had been earned on the battlefield he was a veteran of the Third Great Ninja War.
In contrast, Shin's previous life had been one of comfort. He came from a wealthy family, more or less an aristocrat. He'd never truly tasted hardship.
Out of the forty sticks of red bean dango, Shin only managed to finish two. The rest? All devoured by Shisui.
"Ahh, I'm stuffed," Shisui said contentedly, patting his stomach.
Shin: "..."
"Weren't you supposed to treat me?" Shin muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"Relax. If you're still hungry, we'll grab something else later," Shisui waved him off.
Shin pouted slightly.
"Shall we head somewhere else?" Shisui sat up straighter and asked.
"No need. I'm not really hungry anymore," Shin said, shaking his head.
"You trained all morning. Don't pretend with me you must be hungry. What, you think I'll mind?" Shisui said as he stood up and reached for Shin again.
"Mmm... this sake is amazing," Shisui said, lounging in a chair and swirling his cup.
Shin: "..."
On the table in front of them were some snacks, untouched by Shin, who clearly had no appetite left.
"You brought me to an izakaya?" he asked dryly.
This was clearly just an excuse for Shisui to drink.
"...Sigh." Shin let out a breath, exasperated.
"I thought you said you had something to do this afternoon. Isn't drinking going to get in the way?" he asked.
"Are you underestimating my tolerance?" Shisui shot him a side glance. "This is just a little post-meal fun. Don't worry."
"I'm not worried," Shin said, turning away dismissively.
"Pfft hahaha..." Shisui burst out laughing again.
"What now?"
"I was just thinking... if we were the same age, we'd probably get along pretty well."
"..."
"Want to try some?" Shisui suddenly leaned forward slightly, offering him the cup.
"No!" Shin shook his head firmly.
"It's really good. You sure you don't want to give it a taste?"
"You're literally trying to get a minor to drink."
"Tch. Buzzkill." Shisui flicked his hair back and set down the cup, resting his chin on one hand in silence.
"..."
"Eagle-eyed Shin..." His foxlike eyes softened, gaze falling to the rim of the cup.
"What?"
"Do you... have a dream?" Shisui asked softly.
"...A dream?"
"Do you have a dream?" he repeated, voice even gentler.
"Why are you asking me that?" Shin looked at him, puzzled.
Shisui turned to him and suddenly smiled. His crimson eyes lifted in a brilliant arc.
"You're basically my student now, aren't you?"
"...I guess."
"Then... what's your dream?"
"...If I had to say..." Shin paused for a long moment before replying quietly. "I just want to keep living peacefully like this."
"...I see," Shisui murmured, smiling faintly.
"That's a beautiful wish."
"..."
"Alright. Food, drinks I'm satisfied."
"It's time I get going," Shisui said, his expression clearing. He reached out and gently ruffled Shin's hair one last time.
"My dear student."
"..."
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